Topic: Speculation on TAR16 *no wish-lists please*

[georgiapeach]

Izad!! Sorry for the false alarm!

[georgiapeach]

i found this earlier today on Twitter - translated though google - i have no clue what it means but the language is indonesian.....so after this last post, i figured I'd post it!  HAHA   

adicahyo RT @MandaMarcella: RT @ditrr: Ehhh heksakra new year sekalian amazing race yuk hahahahah ngasal http://myloc.me/25Dzx

FWIW, an indonesian friend roughly translated this for me

"seru kok, cuma gw peserta ya ngk mau ngurus -_____-

"it's happening (or exciting), except that i'm busy organizing" or "except i dont want to organize"? "peserta" would refer to racers.

So looks what comes up. I really thought this sounds like a local race...but hmmmm. Could Phil have been in Jakarta??

[georgiapeach]

Maybe not: In response to apost talking about the Mcd's in Terminal 2.

 Jakarta - Terminal 2International ..... firdeboer_85 November, 2009
Upgradings and fast food.
Sorry,I just wanna update a few things about Jakarta airport.recently some McDonalds franchises were closed due to rights being revoked from the franchise holders in Jakarta.so the McD in Terminal 2 is now closed and replaced by a local fast food restaurant,Tony Jack's and is open 24hrs on the arrival level,so as the KFC if you're looking for an alternative.Some of the restaurants are also being upgraded,a few months after the toilets upgrading.but still all these upgradings can't change the atmosphere of the airport for those who stays overnight.Expect more of the same if you plan to sleep there during transit.Wonder if anybody have pictures of the airport here in this site,would be glad to take some pics on my next trip there.

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/list.asp?region=6&country=Indonesia&city=Jakarta&terminal=CGK

[georgiapeach]

Not Suvarnabhumi according to this list:
http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/131

[Izad]

Izad!! Sorry for the false alarm!

oh please.. you know I live for these things  

and yes, my brother double confirmed that there is no  McDonalds within the satellite building of KLIA


There's a McDonalds at Kota Kinabalu International Airport though, which is in Borneo (I believe they were there for TAR4)

[georgiapeach]

I am now thinking it wasn't at an airport at all.

[georgiapeach]

Here is the Borneo one...chairs and tables  and light could match...but in this shot no walls or partitions.

[DianeC]

Could they be here after seeing ob-bi-do's post in Tweets:

http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/sabah.html

[georgiapeach]

We need to see....it could be a local race. Am asking.

[Coutzy]

*Silently prepares the congratulations smileys*

[Izad]

This one's in Penang International Airport which is just south of Thailand. (fwiw the partition looks the same)

[woden]

This one's in Penang International Airport which is just south of Thailand. (fwiw the partition looks the same)

Ooh, I like this one, Izad!

[Boingo]

  good one, Izad.  Partitions match, check...chairs/tables match, check.... red wall match, check...  looks like Phil would be sitting on the other side of that partition ....  

...here's another view, note red wall and what's behind it....

here's the address: (note, it's in the departure area...)

McDonald's Penang Airport
Lot PC 05, Departure Level,
Penang International Airport,
11900 Bayan Lepas
Tel : 04 - 643 0444
Fax : 04 - 644 5189

[walkingpneumonia]

This one's in Penang International Airport which is just south of Thailand. (fwiw the partition looks the same)

Ooh, I like this one, Izad!

So if it is PEN - here are the flights leaving there on Dec.14 after 17:30.
Where is Phil going??

KUL Kuala Lumpur MH 1155   Malaysia Airline 17:35
SIN Singapore MI 355 Silkair 18:05
LGK Langkawi FY 1016   Firefly 18:10
KCH Kuching AK 6506   Airasia 18:25
SZB Kuala Lumpur FY 2093   Firefly 18:50
KUL Kuala Lumpur MH 1161   Malaysia Airline 19:35
MES Medan QZ 8075   Indonesia AirAsia 19:55
SZB Kuala Lumpur FY 2095   Firefly 20:00
BKK Bangkok LD 832   AHK 20:05
SIN Singapore TR 427   Tiger Airways 20:15
KUL Kuala Lumpur MH 1165   Malaysia Airline 20:35
KUL Kuala Lumpur AK 5375   Airasia 21:00
SIN Singapore MI 357   Silkair 21:15
KUL Kuala Lumpur MH 1167   Malaysia Airline 21:45
KUL Kuala Lumpur AK 5369   Airasia 22:25
SZB Kuala Lumpur FY 2097   Firefly 22:50

Based on the number of flights - I guess Kuala Lumpur - this is just spec though...

[ZBC Company]

and as been speclutar that poeple run across singporo it might local race

[ltvols]

The only difference I see with Phil's pic and this pic of McD's in penang is that the corner of the red wall in phil's pic doesn't turn the corner like it does in the penang pic....other than that, the partitions, tables and chairs are similar.   

[Boingo]

Here's another view of McD showing the windows.     Looks like food court seating... so Phil was right out there in the open.   

[RichInSydney]

These type of chairs are similar in a lot of McDonalds. I saw a McDonalds ad on TV in Australia today and they look very similar to the ones in the pic.

Could be anywhere, there are a bazillion Maccas in the world! lol.

By the way, the pic of the McDonalds in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) looks odd.. I was there 3 years ago and they have the most basic old terminal possible... plus cant recall a McDonalds in the whole place! Looks nothing like that in the pic.

[georgiapeach]

I can't imagine a more special way to celebrate 20,000 posts than  to say

THANK YOU EVERYONE !!

It is you all who provide the fun and the inspiration and make every single day here a joy!

[YY]

If the race really does take about 20-21 days to run, then wouldn't that mean they'd be back in the US very soon? It started 11/28, today is the 15th, that's 17 days.....so another couple days and they'd be in the US and they're bound to be spotted........

[caper]

Congrats Peach on your 20000th post !   Keep up the amazing sleuth-work!!!

[georgiapeach]

Okay, back to business.

Just want to summarize a few things we have been working on today.

Thanks to Izad's help, we have been able to

1) rule out KL as the site of the McPhilgate photo, as well as the Kota Kinabalu airport McDonald's.

2) Pretty much confirm Penang as the same site:

This photo album from Izad has more Penang airport McD pics which convinced me.:

http://s150pranginmall.blogspot.com/2008/12/mcdonalds-penang-international-airport.html

So Phil was either waiting for a flight out of Penang (seems quite likely to me), or transiting (seems unlikely after reviewing the flight data). It IS possible that there still could be a better match somewhere, but for now this seems to fit.

=========================================

Also, this post does not appear to be related to our race.  But ob-la-di-ob-la-da for the sharp eye!!

Today -> AMAZING RACE!!pit stop-*tuaran-inanam-bundusan-lintas-sempelang-tg aru-wisma merdeka-karamunsing-lintas-sempelang* =.='

Again with Izad's help, and after painstakingly translating her dialect, it seems as though she is a makeup artist who does weddings. etc and has been running her own amazing race around town. Still hoping for direct confirmation, but feel fairly safe in saying not us.

================================================

And lastly...re Singapore. Joab is doing some legwork today for us so hope to have an update soon. But this appears to NOT be TAR 16 either. We are thinking that this could be a local race, of which there are many in Singapore.

Here is one scheduled for now that includes an "amazing race"...

http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/2009121412311/Local-News/binding-ties-through-adventure-camp-in-singapore.html

Twenty students from Brunei will continue the journey that promotes understanding, collaboration and friendship amongst their Singaporean counterparts in the 3rd Singapore-Brunei Adventure Camp 2009.

Accompanying the visiting entourage are four selected teachers. The group departed for Singapore yesterday to begin their remarkable journey from December 14 to 18.
Their pre-scheduled activities include dragon boating, amazing race, log climbing, zip line, visits, telepath, abseiling, challenge pole, nature walk and performances, among others.

[Hellataz]

Not sure if this is something but i found it on facebook:

The 'Amazing Race' team we met in Bangkok airport won the race. Awesome:-)
2 hours ago

source:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=503459165&ref=ss#/profile.php?v=wall&ref=ss&id=503459165

[Caelestor]

Not sure if this is something but i found it on facebook:

The 'Amazing Race' team we met in Bangkok airport won the race. Awesome:-)
2 hours ago

source:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=503459165&ref=ss#/profile.php?v=wall&ref=ss&id=503459165

Meghan and Cheyne?

[Hellataz]

Not sure if this is something but i found it on facebook:

The 'Amazing Race' team we met in Bangkok airport won the race. Awesome:-)
2 hours ago

source:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=503459165&ref=ss#/profile.php?v=wall&ref=ss&id=503459165

Meghan and Cheyne?

Are they in Bangkok? I wasn't thinking necessarily the race as a whole, but maybe the team she met won that leg of the race they were on.

also saw this one sided convo on twitter, couldn't see the other tweets cause they were protected.

From Tweeter IainnB

@bvydra That sounds like awesome fun. You could have filmed it and made your own show: "Couples who hate each other"
13 minutes ago from TweetDeck

@bvydra Maybe they were being filmed for The Amazing Race.
about 2 hours ago from TweetDeck

Edit to add, this person is in Australia